Mount
Sunapee is the perfect 4 season mountain. For most skiers
and boarders it is not too big and not too small. It has
a great balance of easy, intermediate and expert runs, and
those just learning to ski will really appreciate the separate
South Peak learning area.
The
terrain park is awesome including a 300-foot
half pipe, quarter pipe, 5 boxes, 2 rails, and 6 jumps.
Check out
the
great video from the terrain park below.
There
are two base lodges and a summit lodge. The Sunapee lodge
at the base of the high-speed quad lift has a cafeteria
and a full-service snow sports shop. They also have
a private
base lodge area called the Hearthstone Room available by
reservation. The Spruce Lodge has a cafeteria downstairs
and upstairs is the Goosefeathers Pub featuring a bar,
luncheon food with waitress service, and après-ski
entertainment on weekends.
If
the snowsports shop in the base lodge does not have what
you need just head up the road to the entrance of the state
park to Bob Skinner's Ski Shop. They have just about everything
and are equipped to handle any kind of equipment repair.
I had a problem with a new pair of boots I had bought elsewhere.
My oddly shaped feet were having a lot of discomfort, but
the folks at Skinner's were able to expertly reshape my boot
liners for a perfect
fit!
Mount
Sunapee Daily Ski Specials (excludes
holidays)
Monday -
ski or ride for only $39.
Tuesday
is Ladies Day - ski or ride for $44 plus complimentary
luncheon buffet in Goosefeathers Pub.
Wednesday
2 for 1 - two can ski or ride for only
$60.
Thursday - Adult lift tickets
are only $49 for a full-day.
Aerial
Sky Rides
Enjoy the beautiful summer scenery from the summit
of Mount Sunapee! The quad chair lift runs on most
weekends
in the summer.
July 26-27
August 2-10 (NH Craftsman Fair Week)
September 27-28
October 4-5
October 11-13
October 18-19
Operating hours are 10 am to 4:30 pm.
Aerial Sky Ride Round Trip Fares
Adult (ages 19-64) - $6
Young Adult (ages 13-18) / Senior (ages 65-69) -
$5
Junior (ages 6-12) / Super Senior (ages 70+) - $4
Children ages 3-5 are free.
From
the summit you can also take a 1 mile hike to Lake
Solitude for incredible views to the southeast.
League
of New Hampshire Craftsmen's Fair This annual nine-day
event features both traditional and contemporary
fine crafts. The 75th Annual NH Craftsmen Fair will
be held August 2-10, 2008.
Mount
Sunapee Hiking Trails
If
you want to take the perfect day hike there are three
hiking trails that lead from the base to the summit
of Mount Sunapee. The Province Trail runs up the north
side, the Newbury Trail up the northeast slope and
the Andrew Brook Trail runs up the southeast slope.
A free map of the Mount Sunapee State Park hiking trails
is
available
from
Guest Services
at the
base
lodge.
The
Province Trail leads from the base
of the Mount Sunapee ski area to the summit of Sunapee
Mountain, and receives heavy use in the summer months.
Almost all of the trail is part of the Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge
Greenway. The trail head is at the end of Old Province
Road in Goshen.
The
Newbury Trail leads
from near the shore of Lake Sunapee to Lake
Solitude on Sunapee Mountain.
Lack of parking makes this trail less desirable for
large groups during the busy summer season. The trail
has become part of the Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway
Trail, and is marked with its trapezoidal white blazes
in addition to earlier orange blazes.
The
Andrew Brook Trail leads from Mountain Road in Newbury
to Lake Solitude high on the flank of Sunapee Mountain.
It also provides access to the 75-mile loop Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge
Greenway Trail and the 50-mile Monadnock Sunapee
Greenway Trail. There are 3 crossings of Andrew Brook
and several of side brooks, only some of which are
bridged.
Milestone
Farm by Kenneth Andler
with Mt. Sunapee in the background.
Click
for a larger image